


At the Stroke of Twelve...

by Justawriter68



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Assassin Kim Jongin | Kai, Attraction at first sight, Courting Rituals, Fluff, M/M, Magic, Prince Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Prince Kim Junmyeon | Suho, Prince Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Prince Park Chanyeol, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27448690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justawriter68/pseuds/Justawriter68
Summary: Jongin is an assassin hired to kill the youngest member of the royal family, Prince Kyungsoo.At the stroke of midnight, he finds himself unable to finish the job and simultaneously thrust into the beginning of a story that is a fairy tale within itself.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30
Collections: ExOnce Upon A Time: Round III





	At the Stroke of Twelve...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello~ ah, this prompt caught my eye when I saw it, I hope that you enjoy the bit I've written, and that you're all staying happy and healthy. 
> 
> Please enjoy this story based off of the Prompt #P102 from the third round of EXOnce Upon a Time. 
> 
> See ya~

Jongin stares at his most recent client, not that the request was unusual, him getting paid to kill people it was as natural to him as breathing, even if he did feel some type of way about it someway or another.

It was a way to survive. 

But what was unusual about this one was the person that the woman currently standing in front of him was asking to kill. 

Jongin leans forward, ready to reconfirm that he had heard right. "You want me to kill one of the Princes." 

The woman stood in front of him, she was incredibly beautiful, her cloak a deep midnight blue, skin kissed from her time in the sun, and dark hair pulled strictly from her face. 

Although Jongin couldn't put off the fact that there was something more with her. 

Something that he couldn't place. 

"Prince Kyungsoo." She clarifies. 

"Yes, yes, I got all of that... but you know that this is going to come with a hefty price." Jongin leans back against his chair. 

As good as he was at his job, he certainly wasn't going to risk his life for someone who couldn't pay for the labor, nor the more than obvious threat on his life that this would bring. If he was caught, he could kiss his head goodbye, his last sight would more than likely be the sight of the woven basket soon going to contain his head.

"You're the best." the woman reaches into her cloak, pulling out a bag of coins, making a Hefty thunk against the wooden surface of the table. "Hopefully this should suffice." 

Jongin checks the validity of the coins, glimmering gold as he looks and holds a piece looking back up at her. "So you can pay... that still doesn't fix the issue of me being able to get into the ball." 

And as if some magic, she produces two items, an invite to the ball, and a piece of jewelry of some sort. 

"It's enchanted to turn into a weapon once you're close enough to the Prince, one knick is all that it should take or you can place it in a food or drink item and it will adjust accordingly." She explains. 

By some magic indeed. 

A witch. 

"I would ask what business a witch has with the royal family... but I'll keep to my own." 

"Can you do it?" 

Jongin nods, giving the briefest of pauses. "I'll do it." 

**_***_ **

The night of the ball, he finds himself, dressing the nicest clothes he said he'd ever owned to date, also provided by the witch a few days later. 

And Jongin felt a shiver go up his spine, no one was supposed to know where he lived. 

The jacket was as fine as anything that he would have stolen long ago on the streets, he could almost think that this would pass for something that one of the Princes at the ball was going to be wearing. Looking at the back Of the coat that he was provided with, he concluded that it was nicer than anything he would possibly ever wear again in his life. Looking at the way that the gold embroidery along the back in swirling lines. 

Everything fit perfectly, and even altered a bit of his appearance, slicking back his hair neatly from his face and giving his eyes a point of reference, now smoky and a little dark at the rims with the most gentle of swipes of a bronze colored glitter or shimmer of some sort across his lids, even his lips looked a little more refreshed. 

There was a slight thought across his mind if he would be able to keep any of the garments. 

His gut tells him that he probably wouldn’t be able to. 

But from there he doesn't spend too much time looking, making sure that he has what he needs before moving out of his small house, greeting his horse. The steed greeted him with a soft whinny, and huff. 

"Let's do this buddy and hope that the both of us make it back." Jongin whispers. 

Steeling himself one last time, Jongin rode through the town, the cooling night air beginning to just lick at his skin, so by the time he slowed down his bare hands did sing a bit from the length of his ride. 

He first checked his horse securely at a stable, paying the money for a room although he wouldn't be staying at all, this would at least make sure that he would have a horse to get away on when the time came. Walking the last few minutes wasn't unpleasant, in fact he thought that he would have more of a struggle getting into the ball seeing as it was by invite only, and he could see the various nobles and other high ranking officials arriving at the brightly lit castle. 

Their finery glimmered like stars in the lowlight, fabrics even giving off the same fabric. 

It seems as if dressing to impress was the main theme of the evening. 

He was glad that he didn't fail to pass the mark as the guards checked his invite, giving him a once over, and for a moment Jongin was scared that the witch had given him a fake one. 

But he relaxed again as they let him in, it was obvious that they were on alert looking for something or another, and to them it wasn't it. 

_ I guess this is partly the reason the witch needed me.  _

Looking into the castle it was indeed as grand as it looked on the inside, although more thoroughly decorated for tonight's event, flowers and other decorations lined the hallways along with the valuable other items that called home amongst the marble floors. 

Finally after walking a few ways he could finally see the line for the entrance for the ballroom, and for another slight stomach dropping moment he realizes that the guests are being announced to the room. 

There was no way he was going to be able to sneak away like this, everything was against his usual style of striking from a distance, now here he was getting ready to be announced in front of the whole entire room of people. 

Eventually he makes it to his turn handing them the invite to a guard and then it goes over to an announcer, the man calling out his name, or at least the name written on the card it's something that he really doesn’t hear as he presents himself to the royal family, the Queen and King sitting at their thrones while the Princes were lined up greeting each person with a polite smile and bow. 

Jongin watches, sort of amused that the various people were obviously trying to catch the eyes of the Prince, mostly to no avail in most cases. 

Finally it is his turn to be introduced to the royal family lined up ready to greet him from the Eldest Prince Minseok down to Prince Kyungsoo, his target. 

Large dark eyes meet his and Jongin can’t help but add a little charm as he allows the corners of his mouth to lift briefly before he’s standing upright and melting in with the rest of the inconspicuous crowd as they all wait for the Princes to finish being greeted. 

Jongin takes in the room around him. 

It was filled with the elite and powerful, he could practically smell the wealth, although that might've been more so the expensive scents and everything else that these nobles and stuff liked to wear. 

He decides to sit back and observe, even eventually as the Princes were finally able to break from their greeting line and start intermingling with the rest of the crowd along with the King and Queen.

Although Jongin didn't approach right away, waiting for his target to come after him, although he knew that he only had until midnight during which he was sure this whole facade would fall apart and he would be left getting caught red handed. 

Jongin stands back for what feels like a while, looking at the clock every once and awhile, it was then that he decided would make his mood since the prince hadn't found his way over to him, he turns placing his cup along the table with the other decadent treats, shimmering alcohol, and other such delights that only royalty and nobility could only possibly hope to see. 

But as he's turning back around he hears someone briefly clear their throat. 

Jongin turns, getting ready to put on some form of politeness if he was standing in someone's way, but upon looking he meets wide brown eyes. His gaze soon traveling to the rest of the person, meeting the grandness of the gold and cream jacket of a prince, one of the shiny gold buttons and the insignia of the royal family. White gloves accompanied the rest of the uniform just as crisp and pristine as the perfectly coiffed black hair. 

"Your Highness." Jongin immediately bows towards the youngest Prince. 

Kyungsoo smiles a bit then, easing a bit of the straight expression his face had otherwise. "Could I ask you for a dance?" 

For a moment Jongin can feel all of the eyes on him again, or at least the creeping crawling feeling. 

Jongin places an easy smile again as he bows slightly again. "It would be my pleasure, Your Highness." he takes the gloved hand offered to him, leading them both to the shiny ballroom floor where other people and some of Kyungsoo's other brothers were dancing or mingling off to the side. 

Although the tiniest bit shorter than he was, the Prince led him to the dance floor with confidence and a graceful stride before they got into the smoother motion of dancing, Jongin allowing the Prince to lead them in the dance across the floor, a simple waltz that was pleasant on the ears as it was adding to the atmosphere. 

"So, Kai right?" 

"Yes, Your Highness... you remembered." Jongin smiles a little, the lie slipping through his lips like water. 

Kyungsoo smiles at him again a little, the lights above catching his eyes again. 

Jongin hadn't honestly known what to expect from the youngest prince of their kingdom, from the research he had done he assumed that the other might've been a little bit colder than he was obviously presenting himself. 

But he knew he took most of that with a grain of salt, after all most that information could only come from those who had observed the Prince and not one of those who actually knew him like his older brothers. 

"Of course..." Jongin might've been mistaking it, but he swore that there was a slight blush across the other man's face as they continued to dance. "What kind of Prince would I be if I can't remember a simple name?" 

Jongin chuckles a little good naturally. "That's very true, but I'm still flattered you remembered me Your Highness. I'm sure you and your brothers have greeted a lot of faces tonight."

Kyungsoo looks at him nodding in agreement. "It has been a lot..." 

"See impressive, I think if it were me up there I would unintentionally forget a name and face if I were in this position." Jongin flashes him another slight smirk, the one he knew had most people sucked up in his natural charm. 

And although it was all going to plan, there was something that he was still trying to figure out, although pushed to the back of his mind brought to the forefront because of the man in front of them. As they talked a little more during their dancing, he couldn't conclude as to why the witch would want to kill Kyungsoo specifically. 

Nothing about the prince screamed malicious or ill intended, and he had been around his fair amount of those in his mere twenty-three years of life. 

Soon the waltz finally ends, and Jongin separates from the royal, giving him another polite bow, and for a brief moment he realizes that he had gotten distracted enough to miss his window of opportunity. 

But if the presence of guards in the ballroom was any indication there was no way he would've been able to do it on this open ballroom floor. 

"Thank you, once again for the dance Your Highness... I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening." Jongin turns away, trying to figure out how he was going to, if at all, see the younger prince again during the night. 

But soon he's stopped by Kyungsoo lightly placing a hand on his wrist, drawing him back to him, and closing the little bit of distance between them again. 

"Would you like to... join me on a walk?" The words coming from the Prince sounded hesitant, as if he knew that he wasn't supposed to be doing just that. 

_ Perfect.  _

Jongin smiles again. "If it would please your highness, then I would love to." 

Jongin allows himself to be led away again from the ballroom, this time he was aware that all eyes were on him, so they would know if something happened to the young prince then he would be the one to blame. 

But he expected to be long gone by then, leaving through the chaos with another well planned lie. 

Soon the pair burst through the heat of the castle, into the night air, the orange of sunset now velvet of night and the chatter of people coming down but to a mere hum compared to the fountain he was sure that he could hear in the distance from them. 

Jongin takes a look around at the blooms, fully alight even in the moonlight, the silvery light giving them some type of different sparkle. "This is beautiful." 

Kyungsoo looks around then. "Ah, yes... this is my mother's pride and joy. It was her project around the same time that she was pregnant with Minseok-hyung." 

"Wow... such a task while Her Majesty was pregnant?" 

Kyungsoo chuckles a little, his hands politely behind his back as they continue their leisurely stroll. "My mother is nothing if stubborn... Something I'm often told that I inherit from her." 

"Ah, well that's not the only thing. You gained her beauty too." 

And it was true, looking at the prince, it was obvious that the youngest favored the Queen, from his eyes, smile, and over all features as if he was her own little mini clone directly, whereas the older brothers mostly favored their father more so in that regard. 

Jongin doesn't mistake the soft blush that takes over the other man's cheeks this time around as it blooms just like the roses surrounding them in the various green walls. 

"Thank you. You look great as well. Like royalty even." Kyungsoo eyes Jongin once again. 

"Now you flatter me, Your Highness. I am nothing compared to a prince." 

The pair then move into a more comfortable silence as they make their way further into the almost maze like shrubbery, although the breaks in the dense green foliage broke that illusion, finally after some walking they finally reach the fountain that he had originally heard in the distance, taking a seat on the benches. 

"My mother would've loved this place." Jongin doesn't know what possessed him to say it suddenly, he feels himself almost jolt with how smoothly the words leave his mouth. 

Why was he telling the man he’s supposed to kill all of this? 

Kyungsoo's eyes light up with further interest. "Oh? Does she love flowers?" 

Jongin doesn't know what possesses him, perhaps its this initial attraction, or the almost too trustworthy look in Kyungsoo's eyes, or the kindness there that he hadn't seen since his mother had him spilling his guts further before he could even think twice about it. 

“She did… had this little garden and everything.” Jongin smiles at the memory. 

Kyungsoo leans a little bit towards him, an action Jongin wasn’t even sure if he was aware of doing “Does she still tend to it now?” 

Jongin looks away at that. “She passed away when I was younger.” 

Kyungsoo’s gaze looks a little stricken then, eyes sympathetic. “I’m sorry for your loss.” 

Jongin waves it off with a nod of his head, the barest of smiles touching the corner of his lips. “It was a long time ago.” 

Kyungsoo straightens a little bit. “Still… that doesn’t mean you don’t miss her.” 

Jongin looks into the Prince’s eyes again, feeling drawn into them again since the first time they had made eye contact, there he found none of the manipulation or use that he had become readily to decipher. 

It made the small bracelet around his wrist feel all that much heavier all of a sudden. 

“Thank you, for your concern, Your Highness.” Jongin finds himself honestly meaning the words. 

And he doesn’t honestly know if he would be able to do this job any more, although he could try and lie and say that he hadn’t been able to get a clear window in to make the hit and then get away successfully. It's these thoughts and a little more as they continue their talk, that is until the prince pulls them behind some shrubbery as some guards walk by, calling Kyungsoo’s name. 

The prince on the other hand holds up a finger to his lips, eyes sparkling mischievously. 

It was then and there for certain Jongin knew for once he would be able to do this, his gut twisting in an unfamiliar way, he had done some awful shit in the name of a payday but for some reason this was different. 

As the guards finally pass into the distance, Jongin looks at Kyungsoo with a bit of a teasing eyebrow. “Your Highness is causing quite a bit of stir… I’m not going to get in trouble am I?” He halfway jokes, eyes darting to the royal. 

Kyungsoo smiles at him another time then. “No… it's probably my brothers looking for me. They’re honestly quite protective since I’m the youngest.” 

Jongin stands up fully right then, once again his own reasons for being there crashing onto him once again like a wave, the weapon up his sleeve getting that much heavier, that it almost didn’t seem like his imagination any more. “Well I think that they’re like that for good reason.” He steps back from the royal. “There’s no telling who you could get stuck with unknowingly.” 

Kyungsoo’s large eyes search him then. “Are you suggesting you might just do something?” his expression straighter than he had seen it all evening. 

Jongin tenses up just a little bit, looking for an excuse to combat the suspicion, this was making him feel like he was some type of inexperienced rookie again caught in his first lie. 

And this one was more than likely more life threatening than the first.

“Relax, I was joking.” Kyungsoo laughs a little. 

Jongin breaks into a smile of sorts on his own, letting out a breath. “You certainly know how to tease Your Highness. But even so, you should return before you’re missed more.” 

“I know. But I’m enjoying my time out here with you… I know--” 

Whatever Kyungsoo is about to say is cut off by the chime of the bell tower, Jongin turning in that direction seeing that the clock had struck exactly midnight. Feeling something tickling his arm, Jongin looks down to see that his clothes were literally beginning to unravel at the sleeves. 

His disguise was literally falling apart at the seams and this would be a clear sign of enchantment. 

Jongin shoves his hand behind his back, able to feel even more parts of the clothing beginning to shift around. “Your Highness, I’m sorry but I have to depart.” Jongin gives a quick bow, but is still able to see the look of confusion that falls stark across the Prince’s face. 

“But wait… don’t go, the night isn’t over. May I at least have your family name?” Kyungsoo draws near to him, hands just nearly brushing the fabric. 

And Jongin puts a distance between them like he himself is on fire, before turning and sprinting off out of the garden, ignoring the calls that from the Prince as he followed behind. Jongin didn’t take the time to look back as he went down the stairs making sure that the clothing or boots wouldn’t make him trip and fall as the whole facade continued to falter. 

_ Damn that witch.  _

Jongin is relieved when he makes it from the gates, without the guards catching up although he was sure they were being moved into action seeing one of their Prince’s following and yelling at them, telling them to stop and wait. Jongin throws himself into the woods on the side of the path to recover his breath and hide for a few minutes. 

And just as he does that, the disguise finally falls, the decadent clothes he had been graced with falling away into piles of thread that disappeared themselves into the grass below, leaving him with just the boots and now some normal looking clothes. 

“At least she thought of that.” Jongin mumbles, standing up and brushing himself off, checking the new pieces of clothing. 

Noting that although the other parts of the clothing had fallen apart, the weapon that the witch had given him hadn’t disappeared, remaining solid underneath the sleeves of his clothing. Although Jongin didn’t stick around long enough to even ponder whatever that could possibly mean for the moment, and instead walked as quickly as he could without running or looking too much like he was trying to escape something to make it back to the inn. 

Much to his relief his horse was still waiting on the outside, peacefully drinking some water, he quickly tended to the steed before deciding to actually use the room he had paid for, sitting down on the bed with a loud sigh and the slight creak of the structure in protest to his own weight it seemed.

Lying back on the bed, he absorbs the events of the evening, trying to figure out just what in the hell he was going to do when the witch found out he hadn’t completed his job, and that would be more than quite obvious in the next couple of days if not the next morning. 

Jongin rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands, trying to focus his attention elsewhere, and instinctively reaching for his mother’s pendant to bring him comfort. 

Only to find that he _ can’t _ find it. 

Jongin searches himself, and his bags repeatedly to no avail, not finding the object with him anywhere. 

That is until he looks outside of the window, seeing the castle’s lights in its full glory, even this far away, as if the building itself knew. 

_ Shit.  _


End file.
